Tank valve



Nov. 30 ,1926. 1,609,112 v J. R. GAMMETER v TANK VALVE Filed May 14, 1923 ,.23 [E A Z4 Z6 2g I zo Patented Nov.. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oraria.

JOHN R. GAMMETEB, F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOOZDRIC-H COMPANY,

@F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATICDN TANK VALVE.

application aied Mayu, was. serial-No. 633,795.

This invention relates to rubber outlet valves for flush tanks and' its object 1s to' provide a removable type of connection between the rubber valve body andthe metal lifting rod'or stem, such connection being of a detachable character adapted to be manufactured at a low cost and capable of being; l

the rubber valve body.

Ofthe` accompanyingdrawings, Fig. 1 is a' vertical, -sectionalview showing a full molded mushroom -type of'tank valve provided with my improved connection.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a blown type of valve provided with a modified form of. theffiventom i, i

F ig. 3 `is` `a vertical section showlnganother form of molded valve provided with a further modification of my invention.

showing still another form of my invention. Referring at first to Fig. 1, 10 is a softrubber valve bodyof the mushroom type,

to the general forni of which no specific claim is here made, said body comprising a cylindroidal stem or upper portion 11, a conoidallower seating portion or head 12 forming at its junction with said stern an annular wall part 13 of maximum thickness at or adjacent to the seating zone of the head, and a Haring Harige 14 forming an upward extension of the head to take in a wide range of' outlet pipe diameters, there being a relatively wide mouth or opening 15 in the lower end for the removal of the core or In ndrel. which forms the central' air'chambr 16. i

The outlet pipe 17, having a valve seat 18,

y 'is shown in broken lines.

'The universal practice heretofore, so far as I am aware, has been to embed in the to of the tank valve a metal block or spud, usually of brass, having a screw-threaded aperture for the reception of the lifting rod, this s ud being vulcanized to the rubber valve body and forming. a permanent structure therewith. .According to my present invention, I discard this practice and mold the ltop wall 19 of the valve body with a removing the valve from its vulcanizing mold, is forced a metallic member 21 shaped somewhat like a collar button with a relatively-broad inner Harige or base 22, -a

`eadily applied to and removed 'from .under compression when Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective View central aperture 20 through which, aftery rounded outer head 23 of somewhat smaller diameter, and a reduced connecting stem or neck 24,-this button 'being centrally apertured from its upper end with a screwthreaded socket 25 for the reception of the screw-threaded lower end of the lifting stem 26. All parts of the button 2l and its aperture 20 are preferably of circular outline in plan. The length of the stem 24 is about the same as the normal thickness of the rubber wall 19. The aperture 20- is immediately surrounded vwith inner and outer button-seating surfaces 27, 28, and is made nor-A mally somewhat smaller in diameter. than the stem 2lifor example, the aperture may be fig of an inch and the button stem of 70 an inch in diameter-so that the rubber surrounding the stem is stretched andl held the button is in place, and a water-tigl'it joint is thereby effected, the displaced rubber causing the wall 19 to bulge slightly around the edges of the heads 22, 23.

In applying the button 21 to the rubber -valve-body, it may be inserted either from below), and can be lubricated by wetting it to facilitate this operation, the rubber stretching to enlarge the aperture 20 when the top or bottom head (as the case-may be) of the button passes through, and then snapping back to form a strong grip upon the utton. y t

In Fig. 2, I have shown a valve body l0a of the blown type,'liaving a conical, thickwalled, soft-rubber upper portion' 11, and a heinisplierical, thin-walled soft-rubber lower or seating portion 12, united at its upper edge in a vulcanized seam with said uppei' portion, the latter being molded with a central a erture 20a in which is inserted a modified orm of metal button 21* having a tianged, conical lower end, base, or head 22a, a rounded upper end or head 23, and a lrelatively-long connecting stem or neck 24 to take in the central'wall thickness at the top of the valve body between the button-seating faces 27, 28, and hold the rubber under sealing compression by reason of the greater diameter of the button stern as compared with the normal diameter ofthe aperture. This m5 type of button may conveniently be inserted i and removed from above.

The Aabove-describedl detachable 'butt-ons 21 and 21.a may be cheaply made in large quantities by any suitable ymanufacturing process such as die casting from molten metal or turning from a rod in a screw machine. .l

By employing a detachable connection of this type the manufacture of the valve body is somewhat simplified and when the valve has to be renewed in a flush tank it is possible to .use the same button4 over again, thereby making it feasible to reduce the cost to the user after his tanks are once equipped.

It will be noted that in both of. the forms above described there is a deformable, softrubber socket member on the valve, formed by the margins or wall structure surroundingV the opening or mouth 2() or 20a, said socket in these instances being open at both ends, while the complemental coupling member or button is detachable from the lifting rod and has two heads adapted to embrace said margins between them in the coupled condition of the parts.

In the modification, Fig. 3, l()b is a softrubber, full-molded valve having a socket member formed by the margins of an aperture 20h andclosed at its lower end by an imperforate rubber wall 29, there being a pocket 30 under said aperture for the reception of a button 2lb consisting of a single flange or head formed integrally with the lower end of the lifting rod 26h. said rod being coupled with and uncoupled from the valve by forcing the head 2lb through the aperture 20".

In the further modication shown in Fig. 4, the lifting rod 26c is formed with a spring collar clip, 31 embracing ,the neck of a softrubber button 32 formed on the upper end of the valve, both members of the coupling in this instance being yieldable to facilitate their connection and disconnection.

It will be understood that the precise form of embodiment may be further varied from the forms described without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a flush-tank outlet-valve structure, the combination of a buoyant valve provided at its upper end with deformable, soft-rubber attaching means, and a lifting stem having complemental attaching means adapted for detachable inter-engagement with said means on the valve. I

2. In a Hush-tank outlet-valve structure, the combination of a lifting stem and a buoyant valve having' a detachable head and socket connection, one mem'ber of which is deformable and adapted to be coupled with and uncoupled at will from the other member b a relative axial movement of the two.

3.' n a ilushftank outlet-valve structure, the combination of a buoyant valve having a flexible-mouthed, soft-rubber socket member at its upper end, and a button detachably connected with the lower end of said stem and formed with two heads adapted to embrace the margin of said socket member between them and to be repeatedly forced into and out of position in the mouth ot' said member to couple it Ywith and uncouple it at will from the latter.

' 4. A flush-tank outlet-valve comprising a hollow, soft-rubber valve body centrally formed with a through aperture at its upper end. and a metal button detachably assembled with said Avalve body and formed with heads at its two ends and a connecting stem larger in diameter than the normal diameter of said aperture.

5. A flush-tank outlet-valve comprising a soft-rubber, hollow valve body formed with a stretchable central through aperture at its upper end, and a metal' button detachahly assembled with said valve body and formed with a screw-threaded socket for the reception of the threaded end of the lifting roll,

'said button having heads at'its two ends` of which one -isv adapted to pass through said aperture by stretching the latter, and an integral connecting stem largervin diameter than the normal diameter of said aperture for holding' the `rubber wall immediately surrounding said aperture under tight com-`L pression between said heads.-

6. A. hollow, buoyant valve body for flush tanks, said body including a soft-rubber upper part formed with a stretchable, through opening for-the passage of a di tachable connection, and inner and outer seats immediately surrounding said opening for sealing engagement with said connection.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th da of May, 1923.

JO N R. GAMMETER. 

